Essence Reactive
by shade22
Summary: Kate's cousin arrives with many secrets, some of which will be revealed as well as some details of the fate of Chase. Reid will face new challenges and Caleb will help steady the hand of a friend who must make a decision of life and death.
1. Chapter 1

Technicalities, Technicalities…The characters of the Covenant are not my own, however, all the original character are. Thank you for reading. Oh, yeah, my writing sucks because I haven't written in a while.

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"Earth to Pogue…" 

"Yeah, Pogue, what are you looking at?"

Pogue looked up to see Sarah and Caleb making faces at him from across the empty lecture hall, near the door; they were squinting their eyes, wondering why Pogue was staring into oblivion. He stood, running a hand through his hair. He grabbed his backpack and jetted down the steps toward his friends.

"Haha, you were just sitting there, all dazed and staring into space – what's the deal?" Caleb wondered aloud as all three left the room, headed toward the exit.

Pogue shook his head. "I'm just suffering from a lack of sleep."

"Kate keeping you up, eh?" Sarah quizzed playfully.

"Nah – we're still on the outs or something," he cracked a half smile then spoke soberly: "I was doing homework."

"Ooh." Sarah and Caleb said simultaneously, grinning and looking at each other.

"Whatever," Pogue retreated. "Though, speaking of…"

"Kate!" Sarah eagerly finished Pogue's thought. "Yeah, she's late…very late…later than usual…" she giggled.

"Late? School's over." Caleb stated matter of factly.

Pogue frowned and quickened his pace so that he could push open one of the thick oak double doors to the bright, green outdoors. He held it open for Caleb and Sarah, quickly traveling the short distance down the steps behind them. The three went around the corner of the building. Reid was standing against the brick wall.

"Sup?" Reid said coolly, glancing to the left.

"Sup?" Caleb and Pogue said in monotonous sequence.

"Hey." Sarah chimed.

"Where's Tyler?" Sarah asked.

"He has the flu or something…" Reid shrugged.

"Hey!" The four heard a familiar voice shout.

They turned toward the parking lot and saw Kate jogging toward them not wearing the usual dry school uniform as were the rest of them but, in blue jeans and a black tank.

"Hey, Kate." Caleb said when she arrived.

Sarah smiled.

"Uh…where have you been?" Pogue was serious.

"Uh…when did you become my boss?" Kate annoyed, remarked playfully.

Reid smirked.

"So, girl, where were you today…?" Sarah chuckled.

"Oh!" Kate interjected suddenly remembering something. "I want you guys to meet someone." She said as she turned to jog back to the parking lot.

Sarah eagerly followed as did Caleb; Reid and Pogue approached moodily.

Kate leaned on the open passenger side door of her black Lexus IS 250 talking to a girl bent over digging her backpack. Kate looked up with a grin on her face and announced: "This is my cousin Noa."

Noa stood up, pushed back her thick, black, shoulder length curls – which seemed to contrast oddly with her caramel skin -- smiled and extended a hand, shaking first Pogue's hand, then Sarah's, then Caleb's and then Reid's as Kate introduced them to her. "Oh…and Tyler…but he's not here…"

"Yeah, he's sick." Reid said flatly.

"Oh, that sucks." Noa sounded sympathetic and looking Reid directly in the eyes.

Reid ground his teeth and stared into Noa's dark brown eyes.

Sarah glanced at Reid.

"Reid." Caleb said coolly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll have to pardon Reid, he's a bit of a hot head," Kate shrugged. "…anyways, we've gotta go – got dinner at my parent's house tonight. You coming Pogue?"

Pogue nodded. "I'll take my bike, though."

Kate and Noa piled into the car and took off leaving Caleb, Reid, Sarah and Pogue in the parking lot.

"I don't like that bitch." Reid stated begrudgingly.


	2. Chapter 2

"Dinner was great Mrs. Tunney," Pogue smiled and looked toward the right of the table. Kate and Noa nodded in agreement.

"Oh, don't thank me, thank Megalynn -- our wonderful housekeeper," Mrs. Tunney motioned to the east, toward the kitchen as Megalynn pushed through the doors, "but if you'll excuse me, I have to go pack so that I can join Mr. Tunney tomorrow in Tunisia."

"I and Pogue will be excused, too." Kate and Pogue, sitting side by side, stood and headed toward to the staircase just outside of the dining room.

"Well, I guess I'll help you Megalynn…I have to go to the kitchen anyway." Noa smiled.

Noa and Megalynn gathered dishes and went into the kitchen. The Tunney dining room was empty.

Megalynn and Noa set the dishes in the sink.

"Hey, Mega…where's the chicken around here…?"

"Oh, you can check in the freezer…it should be on the left side or something."

"Ah, here it is!" Noa exclaimed. "Now all I need is a pot."

"They're in the cabinet next to the fridge – on the bottom shelf."

"Thanks again."

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"So, what's the deal with Reid?" Kate ran a hand over Pogue's back as he sat in her father's office chair.

"I don't know…he's always in a mood" Pogue drew Kate close causing her to fall into his lap.

"No, seriously…she and I both heard him call her a bitch," Kate sat up and stared in his eyes.

"No, seriously…how can I get you to kiss me one more time?" Pogue grinned; Kate grinned back and moved in even closer.

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"Hey!" Noa poked her head in the door and startled Kate and Pogue as they lay partially clothed on the floor in Mr. Tunney's study.

"Oh! Um…we…I…" Kate stammered.

"I'm not tattle-tell…but I was just letting everyone know I was going to go to sleep now."

"Oh, goodnight then," Kate seemed surprised.

Noa disappeared.

"Yeah, I should be heading back to the dorms…do you want to ride?"

"Yeah, sure," Kate shrugged.

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Reid sat up in bed gasping, his golden locks matted to his head with sweat; he felt weak. He got out of bed, shaking, and walked to the bathroom he shared with his roommate. He closed the door behind him and turned on the faucet. He let the cold water run over his hands and splashed it on his face and chest. He pushed his hair pack and looked closer in the mirror at his face; his eyes were heavy with sleep. He closed them for a moment and slumped over the sink. He straightened and opened his eyes to see Kate's face in the mirror. He turned behind him, but she wasn't in the bathroom. He looked closer to the mirror and watched as Kate's face slowly became Noa's face. He clenched his jaw.

He crept quietly out of his room and down the hall to Kate and Sara's room. _Maybe Kate or someone was trying to tell me something. _He knocked softly on their door and there was no response. He continued to know on their door, progressively knocking louder and louder – nothing. He shook the door handle, but it was locked, so, he focused on the lock in his mind. His eyes grew dark as he envisioned the lock unfolding. The door flew open; Kate and Sara were not in their beds. The floor was covered in strange markings in the midst of which sat a naked woman, her back to the door. Reid knew exactly who it was. Noa turned her torso to face him – her eyes were as black as his. Her lips began to move in the shapes of words he couldn't hear; his eyes fell heavy. When he opened them, he was in his bed.

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End file.
